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Evangelicals Contemplating Obama
At one evangelical college in Santa Barbara, California, a small group of faculty and staff supporting presidential candidate Barack Obama are preparing for challenging conversations in their community as they look ahead to the fall semester.
Several faculty and staff members of Westmont College hosted an "Evangelicals for Obama" meeting on June 28 to foster "a conversation about how evangelicals are participating and finding their way in the Obama campaign." The event, open to those of all faiths and political affiliations, drew a group of about 15 people -- mostly affiliated with Westmont -- and began with a viewing of Obama's 2006 "Call to Renewal" speech that was attacked by evangelical leader James Dobson last week.
Elena Yee, Director of Intercultural Programs at Westmont and a co-host for the event, told the group that she was so taken with the way Obama talked about his faith in The Audacity of Hope that when he announced his candidacy for president, she decided to take a closer look at his policies.
"It was the faith aspect that drew me in right from the beginning," said Yee.
Obama's potential to win evangelical votes -- and his campaign's aggressive outreach to evangelical communities -- has been well documented by the media in recent weeks. For some evangelicals, Obama's faith background and his comfort with religious language and rhetoric have served to increase his appeal. Others think Obama has not given them enough specifics on why, as Christians, they should support him.
"I still have some questions about what his end values are, what drives him," said Edd Noell, an economics professor at Westmont and a registered Republican. Like a majority of white evangelicals, Noell voted for Bush in both 2000 and 2004. This year, Noell is unsure where his vote will land.
"I'm open to hearing more on why Christians are attracted to Obama," he said. "Is it that they think he's going to achieve more of a Christian purpose in office? Is it that he's going to act consistently with evangelical values?"
Though he posed those same questions to those in attendance at the "Evangelicals for Obama" meeting on Saturday, the discussion did not provide clear answers for Noell, highlighting the difficulties faced by evangelicals in articulating a common vision for how faith ought to intersect with public life.
"To me, the most open question that came from [Obama's 2006 speech] is his claim that while a person of faith might be motivated by their faith to take particular positions in the political arena, once they move into the public arena, they have to make their case on grounds that are shared by all," said Chris Hoeckley, a philosophy professor. "That's a vision I share, but I'm not sure it's obviously true. I can imagine people not sharing it and be reasonable in not sharing it."
Complex issues of faith and politics -- and the place of evangelicals within those issues -- will undoubtedly resurface among faculty, staff, and students at Westmont College as the elections draw closer. Cheri Larsen Hoeckley, a co-host of the meeting and a professor of English at the college, says that any additional "Evangelicals for Obama" meetings will serve to prepare faculty members for conversations with their students in the fall. She plans to organize town-hall type meetings on this subject during the school year to allow for candid dialogue between members of the Westmont community.
Those conversations promise to be highly charged, especially since Westmont students tend to come into the school with a much more conservative outlook.
"They tend to come out of homes that are Republican," said Jeremy Martin, a recent graduate of Westmont College. "They may be limited in their world experience, and so a lot of them might vote more conservatively. And many of them have been taught, vote Republican. Christians vote Republican."
It remains to be seen if Obama's widely noted appeal to young voters will hold true for young evangelicals. While issues of concern to young evangelicals have broadened to include things like economic justice and climate change, the next generation of evangelicals still hold conservative views on the traditional Christian right issues of abortion and same-sex marriage. The challenge for these young evangelicals, then, is to navigate the tensions between these issues, weighing them against one another to see which issue -- if any -- will trump the others as they head to the polls.
Martin, a young evangelical whose number one issue is foreign policy, says he would consider voting for both McCain and Obama. "But if we have the opportunity for a black president, then let's go for it," he said. "Let's not just stay with what's happened, just because it feels comfortable."
Martin will be voting for Obama in the fall.
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What is more important is McCain's lack of character. He is an adulterer. In all the talk about how McCain is getting "unfavorable" (true) press coverage, his lack of character is actually being largely ignored. For true coverage, see this article: http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A45446
Is it that all evangelicals are moving left or that the traditional hard-right evangelicals are somewhat shamed by Bush and unmoved by McCain, so the previously quieter moderate to left in the movement now LOOKS larger and like it is switching sides.
I think there is a place for faith in all things. We have to be careful to distinquish between religion and faith. I hope each day my president realizes he answers not only to the American people but also a higher power.
The Bible (which Obama believes in ) is a guide to how we treat our fellow man/woman. It teaches hope, charity, love, and forgiveness.
These life guides will be needed to traverse the terrain ahead ( wars, economy, climate change).
It warns against false pride, inflexibility, and arrogance.
It also reminds us we can not watch our brothers suffering and walk away. To be sure, we can not have a country run by pure faith but we can add those priniciples with those of our constitution to govern.
IMHO the "religious right" has been duped by Republicans and ignored by Democrats. Being a Christian and a Democrat are by no means mutually exclusive. I am a Christian and a Democrat and I do not agree with every plank in the party platform, and I agree with some planks in the Republican party platform.
Even though I do not agree with Senator Obama on every issue, I will vote for him in the fall. Why? it would be CRIMINAL to vote for John McCain, that is why. I have a clear idea where Senator Obama stands on issues where I agree with him (foreign policy, economics) and issues where I do not (FISA). I do not know where Mccain stands because he has been shape shifting like there is no tomorrow lately.
Wedge issues and the so called "culture war" do not interest me in any way. The REAL issues are what get my attention and I have to look at things from my understanding of them, rather than let the fear merchants sway me. Republicans have used wedge issues in the past. A large number of people fell for their shenanigans and look where we are after 7.5 years of GWBush.
There MUST be a change in this country's direction. It will not come from John Mccain.
I am not a Christian and my religion is not considered in state supported programs. However, I read a book called "God's Politics" by Jim Wallis that deals with how people of faith would be unable to support the religious right.
The book talks about the religious tradition that encourages activism based on peace, equality, justice, and environmental stewardship. Some progressives on the left reject religion based on the intolerant, single issue stances espoused by right wing proselytizers but New Testament Christianity has more in common with all the worlds religions, including earth based and humanist beliefs, than it does with the right wing activist "religion" currently depicted in the media.
Our country could use the "morally grounded political leadership" which might be found in followers of Jesus Christ. Many protesters during the Viet Nam war and antislavery/civil rights activists were strong Christians. Progressives may have pushed any number of good, moral people into the open arms of the Republicans. Lets open our minds and hearts to people of all faiths who share the same goals of peace, justice and prosperity.
We have been given a gift of watching many of the leaders of right wing single issue "values voters" show their true "values" in scandal after scandal. Many of their previous followers are totally disillusioned with them. Lets show them what tolerance and charity can look and feel like and bring them back into OUR fold. I know they will be happier here.
God forbid.
Any institution that indoctrinates people in primitive superstitions is not really a college, it's just a pathetic holdover from the Middle Ages. Anyone who believes that a supernatural being controls the universe, with not a shred of evidence to support that assertion, has bigger problems than choosing a presidential candidate. These so-called evangelicals need to let go of their childish security blanket and view the world realistically.
the fact that you live and breathe is the very evidence that there is an almighty God who created the universe. oh, dont tell me, all this life in its complexuty and diversity is just random chance, right? riiiiiight.
the fact that you live and breathe is a testament to your mom and pop getting it on. the problem with this organized religion bs is that, as the US does with it's purported democracy, you want everyone to see your light. at least merlin is seeing his own. start thinking for yourselves people. do you always need a holy map to navigate through obvious logic and reason?
Wow go and live in China, Cuba or North Korea so that you can experience true atheism at its finest. I believe that your anti-christian rhetoric will be well received by the masses over there.
Don't call people of faith childish. I think its you that needs a reality check.
His name is Merlin. He obviously believes in magic.
Why not? Do you prefer deluded? No we don't need a reality check because we didn't vote for stupid. And don't tell me that murduring war criminal is a Christian. Why is it you Chtistians are only pro life until the kid is born, then you forget all about them until they are old enough to be cannon fodder?
"a common vision for how faith ought to intersect with public life." ???
Not at all. Keep it private!
"They tend to come out of homes that are Republican," said Jeremy Martin, a recent graduate of Westmont College. "They may be limited in their world experience, and so a lot of them might vote more conservatively. And many of them have been taught, vote Republican. Christians vote Republican"
What kind of Christians are they to say something like that? Especially after the last 8 years of Republican lies and hate. The Republican Party is as far from the Christian ideals that I have as China to me. I don't believe in torture. I don't believe in invading a country for greed. I don't believe in Bush or Cheney, Rove or Rumsfeld. Christians vote Republican.......would Jesus? No, Jesus said to leave to Rome what is Rome''s and give to God what is Gods. My translation is STAY OUT OF POLITICS.
Vote for what is best for our country.....I will say it again. Vote for what is best for OUR COUNTRY! You can use your faith and values in judging the man but leave it there. Look what you got with Bush. Learn from your mistakes.
Amen!
umm, render unto caesar what belongs to caesar, and render unto God what belongs to God..i think Jesus was making the distinction between taxes and tithes.
you cant have "your translation".
sorry, mate
tithes are taxes mate. go back to the library and then come back when you're ready.
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Then you missed the brilliant and subversive nature of Jesus' statement.
He gave an answer to a question from an oppressed person while representatives of the ruling regime were present.
Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and render unto God that which is God's.
The Roman occupiers heard the answer and were satisfied that Jesus didn't threaten their rule.
But they failed to understand, as Jesus' followers did, that all things flow from God, not from Caesar or any other mere mortal. Thus, nothing is Caesar's and nothing is owed to him.
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